The Indianapolis journal., 1887-07-01
WHEN WE WILL HAVE GAS
Mr.. Allen NJ. Fletcher Tells in an Inter-
view What the Public.May Expect.
Within Two Months Indianapolis Consumers
Will Probably Be Connected with the Nat
ural-Gas Field North Of the City.

controlling spirit in the Indianapolis Natural-gas
Company, what he could say TO the intentions
of that company. What they had, what they
proposed to do and how soon they will do issz
1.-THE present intention of the company said
Mr. Fletcher, ''is to go on, and by series Of
wells thoroughly develop their territory, which
lies east and north from the Harris farm, COM
prsing between 8. 900 and 4 900 acres. We have
one we'll going down at Fishers Station, three
miles and half north and east of the Harris
we'll, which is some 200 feet deep This
Fishers Station well is at the highest point be-
tween Noblesville and Indianapolis, and is higher
above the sea level than Noblesville, as taken
from a railroad survey"
''What special Importance do you attach to
that fact2'
1--WE have every reason, from that fact, to ex
pect as large larger development there
than any at Noblesville. We have also
located we'll three miles Immediately north of
the Harris farm, on the Nobesville pike the
derrick of which is up, and drilling will be be-
gun on Monday. We have also located we'll
on the extreme northeast end of our territory,
four miles north and east of the Harris farm.
with the intention, by means of these wells. to
find out exactly what the possibilities of our ter
ritory IL these projected wells prove to be
the equals of or superior to the Harris well il is
the intention of the company to commence pip
ing Immediately to the city of Indianapolis.
Something like the quantity of the supply
be thus determined in twenty days by two OF
these four wells at least"
what is your candid opinion of the Harris
wel?"
1.-THE Harris we'll has now been thoroughly
cased and packed. 1t has been daily growing
stronger. It was visited by the directors yester-
day. and through a three-inch pipe burned
Cyv Fn>% h:~L
it open. as we do not propose
to waste any gas that may develop in these
wells. regard the well fully the equal
of the Greenfield we'll or the Enterprise well at
Noblesvile, and certainly yielding more than
two million feet day. After having seen most,
il not all. the wells of the State, am clearly Of
to- the opinion that this well Is above the average
The company will run pipes from its field with
nothing less than ten-inch main to begin with,
putting down a single pipe at first. When this
is done we will put down twenty-five miles of
pipe in the city this season. Forty days would
be required to reach the city with gas field
fifteen miles away, and a large force, probably
five hundred men. would oe required to do the
ditching and pipe-lavlng OF the character of
wells we may fairly expect in this territory, it
will take thirty to thirty five, perhaps more,
30 supply indianapolis it now is In Pitts
burg 200, DOC, 900 feet are used day, and the
supply is drawn from two hundred wells
OF course, if we have the field and more wells
are required. they can De put in. 1t is simply
question of finding supply. and we have every
reason to expect from the development made
that we will get 1t. The showing of the Harris
well determines the question that gas is there.
1.-The question of supply of gas once fully
and practically settled, this company not only
has the intention, but ample means, to carry it
out and that means that we have considered the
expense to the amount of $3.50 600 or $500, 900.
believe that starting with the Harris well, which
is on the south line of our territory, that north
and northeast of it, in the territory we possess,
tending in the direction where gas is known to
be, that the wells now located and going down
will satisfactorily develop the field-a field that
will amply supply Indianapolis and upon which
pipe line can be safely predicated"
Shortly after leaving Mr.. Fletcher, the re-
porter met another gas expert. what is your
opinion was the inquiry, 'as TO the use of or
gas2 Will it bs safe to use the fourteen miles of
pipe put down some years ago by the Citizens
Cas- .ht Company
Il can tell you what has been done in other
cities. In Flndiay ordinary cast-iron pipe pre-
viously used for Illuminating gas has been util-
lied for distributing natural gas. At Muncle
the pipes of the Illuminating Gas Company
used from daylight to dark to distribute natural
gas, and from dark to daylight to distribute IL
Eliminating gas-the same pipes. Cast-iron pipes
are being used for natural gas in Allegheny City,
Pa, to-day. The people are greatly In error in
Indianapolis regarding this subject Gas. in any
form, artificial or natural. should be supplied to
the consumer at the lowest possible pressure
because the lower the pressure the better the
combustion and the more units of heat. so far
the consumer is concerned, and on the part of
the company supplying the gas the less leakage
and waste. While natural gas is brought to
most towns at a pressure varying from 200 to
400 pounds TO the square inch it is, rule, dis
tributed for domestic use at pressure varying
from two to eight ounces. The question of dan
ger is very important element in Pittsburg
and Allegheny City, because the gas there is
practically inodorous That same element of
danger does not exist. except to a merely nomi
nal degree, in this State, for the reason that the
natural gas in Indiana has strong and pun
gent DOOR, like coal oil, as noticeable as that of
artificial coal gas, aud any leak that might arise
is to be detected. For that reason the gas
of this region has a great advantage over the
Pennsylvania natural gas Ii may be fairly
stated that natural gas, as found here. is no
more dangerous when brought into city under
low, domestic pressure than the artificial
gas that is now here. The odor of the Indiana
natural gas comes from the pyrites of iron in
the Trenton rock and is a hydro sulp phurer."